Uncoupling-lever for car-couplings.



G. G. GILPIN.

UN'COUPUNG LEVER FOR CAR COUPLINGS.

APPLICATION FILED pEc.22, I915.

Llmfifi. I Patented May2,1916.

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GARTH GRIFFITH GILPIN, OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOJR. T0 WALTER 1".

' MURPHY, OF CHICAGQILLINOIS.

UNCOUPLING-LEVER FOR CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

llatented May 2, 119i! Original application filed April 24, 1912. SerialNo. 692,837. Renewed November 7, 1915, Serial No. 60,419.

Divided and this application filed December 22, 1915. Serial No. 68,211.

tion is to provide a device of novel construction in which a rigid linkis utilized for lifting the. locking pin of the coupler, this link beingdirectly connected with the vertically lifting locking pin of thecoupler and with the operatillgf member of the uncoupling device byconnections which allow the coupler perfect freedom in its normalintended movements, both lateral and longitud1nal,

and which furthermore permits an easy, free, and unimpeded manipiilationof the device during the operation of raising the locking pin.

A further object of my invention is to do away with clevises, bolts,pins, and other parts of like character which are apt to be injured orwhich may be lost when an uncoupling device comprising such parts isdetached from the coupling for the purpose, for example, of repairingthe latter.

A further object is to provide a device of the general character hereinshown which will operate to automati tally raise the locking pin upon anabnormal forward movement of the coupler due to the? failure of thecoupler or some of its connections.

This application is filed as a division of my application filed April24, 1912, Serial No. (392,337.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an end elevation of a car. broken away,with my uncoupling lever in position thereon. Fig. 2 is atop plan viewof Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 4c is a frontelevation of the. rigid link. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the. rigidlink. Fig. (i is a detail view showing. in dotted lines, positions whichthe link will assume when the cou pler moves laterally. Fig. 7 is adetail view showing. in dotted lines, positions which the link willassume when the. coupler moves longitiulinally under bull' and draftstrains.

The reference character '1 designates a car, 2 a coupler, which may beof any improved M. C. B. construction which is re siliently mounted on acar.

A center bracket 3 is mounted substantially at the center of the end ofthe car and, as shown in the drawing, is secured to the deadwood and isprovided with an enlarged opening 5 constituting a bearing for the innerend of the operating rod 6. bracket7 is secured to the end of the carnear one side thereof and is provided with an opening which constitutesa bearing for the outer end portion of the operating rod 6.

The operating rod (3 is provided with a depending handle 8 at its outerend which is adapted to lie normally close to the end structure of thecar; the inner end ofthe operating rod terminates in a crank or lever'9, which extends forwardly from the end of the connection between thelocking pin 11 ofthe coupler and the operating rod 6 is provided at itslower end with an open hook 13, the end portion 14 of which is deflectedfrom the plane of the link and the rest of the hook, the upper portionof the link extending and vertically slidable through the eye 10 of thecrankt) of the operating rod, and pro vided preferably with asubstantially ball shaped end 14, which, with the eye 10 constitutes, ina. mcasurepa ball and socket joint between the rigid link 12 and thecrank of the operating rod, although the ball H is not confined to itssocket against upward move ment relative thereto, but is free to permitthe rigid link to adapt itself to all normal service n'lovements of thecoupler without imposing strain upon any of the parts.

The deflection of the portion 14: of the open hook 13 from the plane ofthe hook and the rest of the link is relative, and the open space of thehook may be more or less as may be found necessary in serviceconditions, the object being to provide a more or less (in ell'ect)spiral portion in the hook which will prevent the hook from becomingdisengaged from the lock pin by service movements. In other words therigid link must be given an axial movement to disengage its hook fromthe lock pin.

\Yhile I have shown my invention in a typical embodiment it will beunderstood that modifications might be made without departure from theprinciples of the invention as defined by the claims herein.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In a release rigging for a car coupler having a lock pin, saidrigging including anoperating rod having a c ank', a rigid link providedwith a spiral hook at its lower end for connecting said link with thelock pin of the coupler, and a flexible connection between the upper endof the said link and the said crank, whereby the link may movevertically relatively to said crank and rotate about'its longitudinalaxis'to permit the engagement and disengagement of said link with saidlook pin;

The combination with a railway car and a coupler'resiliently supportedon the .car and provided with a lock pin'adapted to be raised to itsunlocking position and formed with an eye; of a release riggingcomprising a rod revoliibly supported on the car, irovided, with acrank, and a rigid member extending from said crank to the lock pin, theupper end of which is connected with the crank slidably, in thedireclion of its length, and also flexibly to perinit angular movementsof said member botlrforw'ard and back and sidewise, the lower end beingprovided with an open substantially spirally shaped hook adapted toengage the eye of the lock pin.

3. In combination, a car, a coupler resiliently mounted on the car andhaving a lock pin which is raised to unlock the same and a .releaserigging comprising a link having a substantially spiral hook on one endloosely engaging said lock pin. and an operating rod having a crankprovided with means lornied with an aperture through which itsextremitydeflected from the plane of the rest of the hook.

